Chase Your Own Tail
by Shimjims
Summary: After escaping from the fighting ring that has contained him for the past seven years, Luffy is plunged into a world he has long since forgotten how to live in. However, soon he discovers what it really means to be man's best friend. AU. ZoLu.
1. Chapter 1: Adrenaline

**Chase Your Own Tail**

Chapter 1: Adrenaline

* * *

I have this creeping suspicion that some of you are going to bite my head off for this but… I am rewriting it. I only had four chapters in the first place, so it won't take too long to get back to where I left off. This chapter only took me an hour to write after all. But I was starting the new chapter and rereading the story… And I realized that I had utterly hit a dead end. I ran myself into a wall basically. I didn't even know where I was going to take the story. So I thought really hard on it, made a new outline from start to finish, and I think I have come up with a really good story. It's still the same essentially, but this time, I have somewhere to go with it. There's going to be even more ZoLu this time around. So before you flame, just know that this has the same basic skeleton as the original, but this plot actually has substance. And at least I'm not ditching the story. (OH AND ACE IS ALIVE IN THIS ONE.)

* * *

The stadium was alive with shrill screams and utter chaos. Bystanders scrambled for the exit, shoving past each other in a desperate attempt to escape the danger that had erupted only minutes before. The sobs of small, confused children mingled with the rest of the noise. But all he could hear was the blood and adrenaline coursing through his veins.

This was the chance he had been waiting for.

He glanced over to his left to check on his partner in crime: his ësworn brotherí, Ace. As to be expected, there was nothing to be worried about. Despite the discord that had resulted from their plan, things were going well. This was all part of the plan. He lunged forward and connected his fist with one security guardís jaw, while immediately transitioning into sinking his sharpened teeth into anotherís shoulder. The two guards reeled back, clutching their wounds and giving him and Ace just enough room to squeeze forward and advance in their escape.

The exit was in sight.

He couldnít remember how long it had been since he felt any trace of hope bubbling up in his chest. It was warm and for once, his mind was wrapping around the idea of being free. This stadium had been his prison for the past seven years of his adolescent life. He caught Ace flashing him an eager smile in the peripheries of his vision.

For seven years, he had been pitted against one opponent after the other. Each fight was more awful than the last. But for just this once, instead of fighting for the entertainment of his captors, he was fighting to be free. Another group of security guards and police closed in on them and were quickly taken care of. They hadnít spent all of this time honing their skills for nothing.

"_Luffy! _Over here!"

Ace grabbed his arm and dragged him forward, pushing through the thinned-out crowd and into the light. Despite the danger surrounding them, they were tempted to just set still for a while. It was breathtaking, just like they remembered it: the outside. Luffy inhaled a generous helping of fresh air. It was the middle of winter and a chilly blast of wind swept over their bare, sweaty skin. Their adrenaline rush kept them warm, though. Snapping their attention back to the situation they were in, the two fighters continued to push through the crowd, aiming for the back alleys. Their escape route was nonexistent, simply being mapped out by the second using pure instinct.

"Weíre almost there," Luffy couldnít help but cry out. His voice gave in to a giddy laughter. It was unbelievable. This was really happening! They were almost free. They would go somewhere far away where their reputations couldnít follow them. Then they would live out their happy endings like they remembered from their childhoods. "Weíre almost there, Ace!"

Ace smirked and managed a dry chuckle which was soon followed by a large bellow of laughter. It was truly unbelievable. It was… too good to be true.

Ace yelped as a taser was prodded into his bare back, releasing a jolt of painful electricity through his limbs. His knees buckled and he crumpled to the ground. Luffyís onyx eyes widened as he span around and realized what was happened. Another group of better-armed reinforcements had gained on them. Ace was struggling up to his feet again to attack again. Luffy lunged forward and raked his claws over the face of Aceís assailant. He was prepared to strike out once more when Ace regained his footing and stumbled backwards, fists raised.

"Luffy, listen up. I donít have much time to explain this," he said urgently, louder than a whisper but quiet enough so that only Luffyís sensitive ears could make out their plans. "I know this sounds crazy, but right now, my gut is telling me to go with it."

Luffy gulped down saliva and nodded his head as he struck out at a guard who was getting too close.

"Weíre going to split up."

"W-WHAT? But Ace!" the younger fighter retaliated, only to have an elbow nudged sharply into his ribs.

"Trust me, Luffy! You go left and Iíll go right. But we have to do this! Weíll meet up again when we shake them off of our tails, but right now, things are too crazy. Youíre strong! I know that. So prove it to me. Run and donít stop until youíre safe. We will meet back in the alleys after two weeks. That should give things enough time to cool down. Then we can go back together! Do you understand?"

He had to think about it for the briefest of moments. In all honesty, he just wanted to go together. But his brother had never been wrong before. He swallowed the growing lump in his throat and nodded. His brother acknowledged him with a confident smile and bolted off to the right leaving the guards in a scrambled confusion.

"You better keep your promise, Ace!"

And with that, Luffy ran.

* * *

The snow was falling heavily upon the city of East Blue. Not a single shred of blue could be seen in the sky, just vast expanses of white cloud. The wind had been especially cold that day, blowing the flurry of snow in every direction possible. Up, down; to the left, to the right. Zoro tromped along, burying his freezing hands into his green coat pockets. Among the bright white banks of snow, he stood out significantly. He was a naturally tan man with a peculiar head of fluffy green hair. His eyebrows were knitted in an annoyed expression as he toted a bag of bread, milk, eggs and other miscellaneous essentials along. It was just like his friends to send him out in the middle of a snowstorm to do errands. Everyone else insisted they were too busy and settled on waking him up from his nap. He was having that great dream where he was kicking his annoying blonde roommateís ass again too. Another chilly gust brushed past his skin, leaving his ears and nose feeling red and raw.

It wasnít too much farther until he reached home. Then he could settle back into his nap and perhaps grab a hot coffee to warm his bones. Only ten more minutes or so. Then he would be back in the comfort of his own house. The snow was getting thicker now. About an inch or two had accumulated on the sidewalk since he had left. He stared down at his feet, observing the footprints he was making with his black boots with increasing boredom.

Bored.

That was the best word to describe the current condition of his life. Some people were content with leading quiet, uneventful lives. East Blue was famous for its peaceful neighborhoods. But if it wasnít for the debt he owed to _that woman, _he would have long since packed up his bags and left. East Blue was too quiet. He craved adventure in his life. It had been his dream to become a great swordsman. A mastery of swords was far too uncommon in todayís world. He wanted to rekindle the worldís interest in the sport, but he couldnít do that while he was tied down to this place. Still, it didnít stop him from training. He taught a class at the local dojo to scrape up money. Yet, he hadnít been attracting many students lately. Even his swords had been growing restless. He could feel it when he held them. They were craving a good fight.

Then something brought him out of his thoughts. Zoroís green eyes widened slightly as the peculiarity inched its way into his vision. It was a bright splash of color where it shouldnít belong. A speck of red stained the pristine white of the snow. Blood. He bent down to get a closer look. It was thick and warm. Beside it was a heavy footprint, slowly being covered by a new layer of snow. Whoever had been bleeding, it had been here not too long ago. There were more footprints leading back to one of the alleyways and little splashes of red leading into the space between two old buildings. Two trashcans had been overturned and garbage was scattered about.

Something compelled him to look. It was none of his business who was bleeding, really. Perhaps they had just scraped their knees. However, the blood was calling to him. He tiptoed over the bodies of the trashcans and strained his eyes against the darkness of the alleys. Undoubtedly, the blood trail was becoming thicker. It was a dead end. The far corner was cloaked in darkness.

"Hello?"

His deep, monotone voice echoed off the cold stone of the walls caging him in. Everything else seemed quiet. The snow continued to fall soundlessly and the world was at a standstill. He didnít really expect an answer. He didnít expect it to be that easy. The noise was subtle at first. It was the crunching of snow beneath feet; a tiny crack in the thick wall of silence that had coated the alleyway. He cocked his head and leaned forward more, hoping to get another earful of the noise to assure him that it was real.

It was certainly real.

An unfamiliar figure emerged from the blackness at the end of the alley. Zoro strained his eyes to make out a young man bent slightly over, clutching his left arm over his stomach. There was blood seeping onto the snow beneath him. It fascinated him in a morbid. He had never really seen anyone injured to this extent. Then he noticed something else: two soft black ears, plastered against his head in an obvious sign of aggression and a long tail hanging behind him.

This man was no human. He was a ëmutt:í a hybrid of animal and human qualities. His curiosity was at its highest pique. It wasnít as if he had never come into contact with a mutt. In fact, he lived with one. However, strays were incredibly uncommon. Most mutts were kept on a tight leash, restrained to a house or the occasional walk in public. Unaccompanied hybrids, on the other hand, were almost unheard of nowadays. Zoro took a step forward to get a closer look. A low snarl burst forth from the strayís throat. Zoro ignored it and took yet another pace forward.

"Oi… Say something," he muttered as he observed the expression on the muttís face. Lips were peeled back, revealing sharpened white teeth stained with red. His nose was scrunched and eyebrows knitted. There were attempts at resistance in his body language, but Zoro knew better. This man was going to die. He didnít need a medical degree to put it together. The loss of blood had been taking its toll on him. His movements were tired and he was swaying slightly. The shadow of death was slowly but surely consuming him.

"Stay back," the man growled in warning. "Just leave. Donít make me fight you."

"You? Fight me? Donít kid me, youíre going to die," Zoro replied bluntly. He inched closer. "You need to go to the hospital."

The tired expression in the muttís eyes melted away in an instant and was replaced by complete and utter panic. Ignoring the pain concentrated at his core, he lunged forward to run past Zoro, but was blocked by a strong arm. He struggled against the grip, but his vision was speckled with black and every inch he moved felt like a mile. "Let go!" he barked desperately, "I canít go to a hospital. Theyíll take me back. And like hell Iím going to let them do that!"

He sank his teeth into Zoroís shoulder, causing him to wince and shove him away. Zoro wrestled him to the ground and pinned him to the snow. Now that he was closer to the boy, he noticed that the mutt was hardly clothed. He had to be freezing too. It was a miracle that he was alive in the first place. The mutt squirmed weakly beneath him, panting and hissing out in pain. "Canít… die now… I promised…"

The squirming stopped and he was still beneath him.

Zoroís pulse fastened and he shook the manís shoulders. The only sign of life he was showing was the rise and fall of his chest, and even then, it was shallow and fading fast.

Zoro had no obligation to help this man. He was a stranger. A stranger that had _attacked _him. However, no matter how cold a person he was, Zoro was not the type to walk away from a dying man. There are horrible people on this planet. Itís a known fact. But even in the darkest of alleys, there is always a shred of light. Without another thought more, he scooped the man up into his arms, bridal-style, and abandoned the groceries he had went out for in the first place.

It was obvious from the muttís reaction to the word ëhospitalí that getting professional medical care was out of the question. Fortunately, he had a back-up plan.

* * *

He ran the whole way home.

Ignoring the aching in his shoulder from the bite, he had eventually made it to the front door of his home and pressed the doorbell urgently. His skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat, even in this freezing weather. The man in his arms was still breathing, although it had turned into shallow gasps for air. A pained expression had settled on his face and every so often, his features would scrunch and he would grit his teeth.

"Itís Zoro!" The familiar voice of, Usopp, one of his many friends, was heard on the opposite end of the door.

"Donít let him in. The shitty mossball took too long coming home." This time it was Sanji. Friend was a term he used loosely. Rival or worst enemy was more suitable.

"Let me in, eyebrow!" Zoro growled from the opposite side of the door. "Itís an emergency."

"Are you later for your nap again?"

"God damn it, Sanji. Thereís a _dying kid _in my arms. Now let me in, you fucking idiot," Zoro demanded, and this time, the door opened a crack to reveal a tan, curly-haired man and a tall, long-legged blonde looking at him skeptically. The mutt in his arms made a small whimper and both pairs of eyes widened as the door slammed open.

"What the hell happened to him? Did you do this? CHOPPER!" Sanji frenzied, grabbing the muttís wrist to check for a pulse. A moment later, a tiny, bipedal reindeer mutt, trotted up beside Sanji. He craned his head up in confusion, trying to detect what was wrong. A large drip of crimson blood on the hardwood floor brought him up to date pretty fast.

"Chopper!" Zoro said urgently, looking down at the tiny creature, "You need to help him. I would take him to the hospital, but he freaked out and tried to attack me as soon as I mentioned it to him. Youíre his only option at this point."

The reindeer gulped and nodded slowly. Although his appearance surely didnít show it, the tiny mutt was actually quite knowledgeable in the medical field. It had been a dream of his since he was young, and now, it was coming in handy. "Okay…! Bring him to the guest room! Itís the only room with clean sheets on it now."

Zoro obediently followed without a word more. At this point, he would do anything to hand the man over to Chopper. Having someoneís life in his arms was a responsibility he would rather not have to take. He rushed through the web of hallways into the long-abandoned guest room. It was clean, although a bit dusty. The bed was made with pure white sheets, which, upon setting the mutt upon them, were instantly dyed crimson. Once the man was out of his arms, Chopper shooed him out of the room and shut the door. When it came to a patient, the tiny reindeer was as serious as they came.

Sanji was standing a few feet away from him when the door to the guest room closed. A cigarette was poised between his fingers as he held it up to his lips and took a slow drag. "What happened to him?

"I donít know," Zoro answered quickly and truthfully. He leaned back against the door and sighed, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. "I found him that way in an alley. He at least managed to bite me before passing out. Maybe he still has some life in him."

Upon taking off his hunter green coat, the extent of the wound could be viewed more clearly. His white shoulder sleeve was dappled in red, the fabric torn where the teeth had pierced through.

"Damn…" Sanji muttered. "Heís a mutt, is he? I didnít get a good look at him, but I did notice the ears. I wonder where he came from…"

"More importantly, I wonder what Nami is going to think about this when she comes back from shopping," Usopp said as he crept behind Sanji. "You know how she is when it comes to ërenting out the guest room.í"

"I doubt she would just throw him out on the streets though," Sanji pointed out, coming to the defense.

"First thingís first, though… We have to see if the kid will even make it."

* * *

So there you have it. The ending was a bit rough, but I'm pleased with the set-up. I finally got myself settled back down into Pennsylvania, so updates will be steadier. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy. ;;

I'm also almost done with the next chapter of Hush, Puppy! Just a few more pages. :3


	2. Chapter 2: Blooms in Winter

**Chase Your Own Tail**

Chapter 2: Blooms in Winter

* * *

The characters are a tad bit OOC at the moment. I wanted this story to have a more serious feel before jumping into the cutesy moments, unlike last time. Anyways, thank you guys for understanding! My writing style has changed a bit, I think, so hopefully it'll improve from now on. I'm trying my best!

* * *

Kindness is a peculiar seed.

Even in the middle of the harshest of snows, it can still blossom just so long as someone is willing to plant it.

Zoro still didn't know exactly why he had decided to instantly set everything aside to save the life of some mutt whose name was completely unknown to him. He was so used to his reputation as the city's 'demon' that such a human show of compassion was unusual. It wasn't as if he was a bad person. He was certainly not a saint, but the nickname of 'demon' was unwarranted.

The door of the guest room was still shut. The three had been waiting idly in the kitchen for a while now. It was unnerving to be under the same roof as someone who could die at any moment. Sanji had taken to baking as a way of making the time pass. He was the family's chef. The kitchen was his domain. He was busy kneading a large lump of dough upon the floured surface of the counter. Usopp had taken it upon himself to fuss over Zoro's shoulder. It wasn't a serious wound, but the long-nosed man was a professional when it came to blowing things out of proportion. He had snuck a bottle of disinfectant and a roll of clean bandages out of Chopperís room and was trying to convince Zoro to let him tend to the bite. Zoro simply glared at him lazily, inching away as he took a quick swig of his coffee. It had grown cold, and he scrunched up his nose at the unpleasant taste. Usopp edged in further, and the green-haired man ultimately decided on giving up just so he would stop pestering him. Suddenly, the front door was opened and idle chatter broke the silence of the house.

"We're home! Where are y-"

A pause. The three men gulped in anticipation and pure fear. The voice belonged to Nami. One could call her… the 'landlord' in a way. She found a reason in anything to cheat you out of your money. She was a smart, beautiful woman, but she was absolutely terrifying.

"Zoro. Sanji. Usopp," Nami called dangerously. "Would someone cared to explain why there is blood all over the brand new rug!"

The trio took a deep breath and headed into the living room.

Here went nothing.

* * *

When he explained it in depth, it sounded like an overused scene from a drama movie. The rest of the group had gathered in the living room, taking up their usual places on the couch. Except for Zoro, who had been banished to the floor upon admitting that the blood on the rug was sort of his fault. When put together, they were quite the motley bunch. Nami sat with her elbow propped up against the arm of the couch, her chin rested in her palm. She was a slender woman with short, silky tangerine hair. There was a blue tattoo on her shoulder; a cross between a windmill and an orange tree, she explained. Next to her was the only other woman in the house. Robin was the calmest of the bunch. She was tall with sleek black hair and haunting blue eyes. Next to her was Franky, the architect of the very house they were living in. He was one of the most peculiar of the crew, and that was saying a lot. His body was large and packed with muscle. He sported a bright blue, ducktail hairstyle. And the last of the group was the dirty old man, Brook. He was unbelievably tall and bony with a ridiculous black afro atop his head. Zoro concluded his story as Sanji and Usopp added in their small bits.

"So… you're telling me that our guest room is being occupied by a bleeding, aggressive, runaway mutt," Nami said incredulously, recapping the whole of the story.

"Yes," the three nodded simultaneously.

"2000 beli," she stated in a monotone voice. "That's what each of you owe me for the rug."

"I should have known that you would find a way to charge me, witch," Zoro growled under his breath. He was silenced with a quick kick to the ribs via Sanji.

"Don't you dare insul-" Sanji started, but was quickly interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah. Chivalry and all that. Shut the hell up, eyebrow," the green-haired man dismissed him curtly, returning his attention to the others. "So what are we going to do about him?"

"Do you even know where he came from, Mr. Swordsman?" Robin inquired calmly, earning a nod from Nami.

"No. He passed out on me right after trying to get away."

"We'll just have to wait until he wakes up then," Nami sighed. "I can't exactly kick him out when he's in such bad shape. After he gets up, we'll find out who he is and deal with it from there. For now, I'm too tired to think about it."

A door creaked open at the end of the long hall and all craned their necks to see Chopper standing at the threshold with blood and sweat sticking to his thick fur. Despite looking terrible, there was a relieved and proud smile upon his face. He had good news, then. A few sighs of relief escaped from the mouths of the crew.

"He got shot in the stomach. Miraculously, it missed all his organs. He must be a really lucky guy," the little reindeer explained, "I stitched him all up, treated his frostbite and gave him some narcotics. He should be out for a while. He lost a lot of blood. But he's stable!"

"Yohohoho, that kid must be tough," Brook stated.

Chopper nodded and went on to explain further, "He has a lot of scars… There are some new ones and old ones. Wherever he came from, he did a lot of fighting. There are bite marks on his shoulders, claw marks on his back… Do you think he's a fighting dog?"

Zoroís mind flashed back to the encounter in the alley. "It's a possibility. We'll just have to ask."

The reindeer scuffed his hoofs against the hardwood and nodded. A yawn slipped past his defenses and he swayed a bit on his feet.

"I think we've all had enough excitement for one day. Let's all get some sleep," Nami instructed, giving in to a yawn of her own. "We'll deal with the rest when he wakes up."

"Okay," Chopper agreed, "But… one thing." He looked up to Zoro with tired eyes. "Do you mind staying with him for the night? Just for a little bit? I'm still worried about him. If his wounds start bleeding again, he'll be in big trouble! So do you mind? I set up a chair in there…"

Zoro sighed. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair and watching over a kid's wounds all night wasn't exactly on his to-do list. But he was probably the most suitable for the job. If the mutt woke up by any chance, he doubted anyone else could subdue him without harming him further. The others were too rough or not strong enough. Plus, on top of that, he couldn't resist the little reindeer's begging eyes. He agreed and, as the crew said their goodnights and parted to their own rooms, he made his way down the hall and into the guest room.

Seeing the stranger lying there, basked in the light of the moon, he felt relieved. A more peaceful expression had settled over his face. No longer were the grit teeth and scrunched nose. The mutt was at ease. Upon further observation, he noticed that there was a small scar blemishing the skin beneath his right eye. Sleeping, he looked like a young boy. But those scars were there to say otherwise.

Zoro leaned back into the chair. Fortunately, it was cushioned with a recliner built in. It wouldn't be a perfect sleep, but he could at least manage some rest. He glanced over the stranger in the bed before he felt his eyes grow heavy. Hopefully, tomorrow would shed some light upon the situation.

But it had been a long day and he deserved a bit of rest and some peace of mind.

* * *

The pain in Luffy's core had dulled down to a mere ache. His body felt sluggish, his senses dimmed. In his semi-conscious state, he scrambled through his memories, attempting to sort out what had happened. There was red. Lots of red. Panic… Fighting… Running… A bang… Nothing made sense. How long had he been sleeping? Where exactly was he? His mind was an abstract painting hung upon a bare wall. It was just an angry mess of colors and textures and loosely pieced together concepts. A groan escaped his lips and his fingers instinctively wandered down to the source of his pain, skimming just above the surface of the tender flesh. A part of him expected to feel the warm, sticky sensation of blood, but was somewhat shocked to find a barrier of bandages instead. His eyes fluttered open. It took effort. His body was telling him to sleep and heal. 'Temptation' was an understatement. But he had something to do, somewhere to be. He couldn't afford to spend his time wallowing around in some unfamiliar room.

Wherever he was, it was dark. There was a trickle of moonlight just barely illuminating the room. He blinked a few times, attempting to drink in the milky light so as to adjust to the blackness. It took a couple of tries, but eventually, his vision cleared up just enough to make out silhouettes. He was lying on a small, twin-sized bed next to a window, covered by a soft, thick quilt. To his right was a nightstand, littered with pill bottles, unused rolls of bandage and scattered papers. An empty cushioned chair was set at the foot of his bed.

He felt his heart beat just a bit faster. This couldn't have been a hospital room, could it? He had never been in one before. He had only ever been treated at the pitiful 'clinics' in the fight rings after a particularly bad round. The chances of this being a hospital felt slim, still the mere possibility shook him. They had treated his wounds, but as soon as they found out who he was- what he had done- they would surely send him back. He was different from them after all. 'Mutts' and humans were on two completely different levels. He gulped down the lump of anxiety gathering in his throat.

No. He sat up in the bed and shook the nerves away. There was still hope. Maybe his caregivers didn't know yet. He could escape before anyone noticed he had moved. Now that freedom was resting peacefully in his palm, he wouldn't let it fly away ever again. Ace was somewhere out there, waiting for him. They would go back to the place they grew up. Maybe they would reunite with their third brother. The possibilities swelled in his chest and suddenly the ache from his wounds didn't bother him much anymore. Flesh wounds could never keep him from his dreams.

He swung his leg over the bed slowly and took an experimental step. The floor was cold and smooth. It occurred to him that his shoes were nowhere to be found. That was a problem… but first he had to focus on getting away. He could steal another pair later. Both feet were on the ground now and he pushed himself upward. His knees buckled instantly under the sudden weight, but he caught himself on the bed and eased into standing. It took a few moments of practice, but eventually, he found the balance to take a step forward, and then another.

Luffy took a few paces towards the door and fumbled with the knob. It creaked open loudly and unexpectedly, causing the mutt to release a surprised gasp. He never was very good at being sneaky. He usually left that up to Ace. The knob slipped out of his grip and the door crashed against the wall. No… He definitely wasn't super spy material. Though, now that the door was open, he concluded that his definitely couldn't be a hospital. He was at the end of a hallway dotted with two more doors. At the far end, it opened up into a larger room. He could vaguely make out the shape of a long couch. This had to have been someone's house. But with that conclusion, the question of how he had gotten here arose. His memory was still foggy and unclear; a smear of adrenaline and color.

"If you're trying to escape, you're doing a shitty job."

His muscles stiffened as the light at the end of the hall flickered on and a tall, long-legged man with a blonde fringe revealed himself. Instantly, he was on the defense. Normally he wasn't so aggressive to everyone he met, but after spending seven years in a hellhole where your friend could turn into your enemy in a mere second, he could never be too sure. The long-legged stranger cocked his head and sighed. Two more figures followed after him. One was a shockingly tall man with an unbelievable bulk of muscles. He had peculiar blue hair, teased up in the front to form a ducktail style. The second figure was…

A tall tan man with soft green hair atop his head.

"You're the guy from the alley!" he stated aloud in revelation. His lips twitched and formed into a confused frown. "Why did you bring me here? You're not going to take me back are you?"

Zoro pushed past to stand in front of Sanji, earning a glare from the blonde man. His shoulder had been bandaged, but the clean white was speckled with a bit of red. Luffy watched quietly with unease, bunching the muscles in his body, preparing to fight if he needed to. Though it was strange. He couldn't grasp why they would be so kind to him.

"Yeah, I'm the guy from the alley. And I don't know what you're talking about taking you back to," he said slowly, "So no. I'm not taking you anywhere… You were bleeding everywhere, so I helped you out."

"Chopper will probably make you lay back down, but everyone is sleeping and you ought to be starving, so if you want to come into the kitchen, you can eat," Sanji suggested, shoving Zoro to the side. "Franky, can you go wake the others up since he's awake now? I'll go heat something up."

"Got it, bro," the blue-haired muscleman nodded with a groggy smile and strolled off to the left, with the blonde following shortly behind.

Luffy stood still in a stunned silence. His stomach was complaining about hunger, but the confusion of the situation had somehow managed to mask it. His tail hung low behind him, the tip just barely swaying back and forth in a slow rhythm. Gratitude began to bubble within his veins. "You helped me…" The words were caught between a question and a bewildered statement.

"I may not be a saint, but I'm not a demon," Zoro responded groggily, making a gesture towards where Luffy could only assume the kitchen was, "Now hurry up. It's late and I want to go back to sleep."

He walked down the hallways slowly, struggling to maintain his balance. When he was just a foot or two from Zoro, he noticed the bandages and another bit of his hazy mind cleared up. A twinge of guilt pulsed through his body. This man saved him and he bit him. Wasn't there some saying about that? _Don't bite the hand that feeds? _In this case, it was the shoulder of the man who rescued him from a dog's death, but still… no matter how he put it, Luffy regretted it. "I did that right?"

Zoro nodded and smirked slightly. "It's nothing. I'm impressed you still had enough energy to put up some fight. I thought you were gonna kick the bucket."

A slow grin formed upon his face and he puffed out his chest slightly. "..I wouldn't die that easily. I have a promise to keep."

"A promise, huh?"

Maybe there was hope for him yet. In this dark world where he was constantly running and fighting for his life, someone had extended a warm hand to him. The knowledge that people were still capable of showing kindness… It was wonderful.

He could only pray that Ace was receiving the same.

* * *

…and so concludes the second chapter.

The second part takes place the night after they find him, by the way.

RobotintheRoom: Thank you! I'm trying to improve my writing, so hearing that it is paying off is great. :'D


	3. Chapter 3: Breaking News

**Chase Your Own Tail**

Chapter 3: Breaking News

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One of my reviewers said that they were confused. I'm not sure about what, but I'll do a quick recap of the original story to clear things up. If any of you are familiar of the term 'kemonomimi' that's what this story is centered on. A 'kemonomimi' is a human with animal features such as a tail and ears. In this story, I call them mutts. The mutts, hybrids, kemonomimis, whatever you want to call them, have lesser rights than normal people. Luffy is a dog kemonomimi. I'm sure most, if not all of you, know of fighting rings. In this story, mutts like Luffy are pitted against each other. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me! I'm a friendly person and I'm willing to explain myself.

I'm not following canon events with this story. This is an AU. I'm having fun and making the characters my own. It's basically my playground! Anyways, enjoy!

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To say his appetite was monstrous was the understatement of the year.

It was understandable. He hadn't eaten for a day and it was questionable as to how long he had gone without before Zoro had found him in the alley. However, if this kept up, the rest of them would starve. The way he shoveled pile after pile of food into his mouth was inhuman. And if it wasn't so damn entertaining, Zoro was sure he would be sickened. Sanji watched with one wary eye. In a way, he was grateful that his food wasn't going to waste. However, the complete lack of table manners left him torn.

"This is all I have left for now," the blonde said as he placed one last dish of leftover pasta in front of Luffy. It was gone in a matter of seconds. The young, raven-haired man pushed the plate in front of him and sighed happily, saying a quick 'thank you.'

Sanji assumed that Franky was still working on waking the others up. Now that he was finished fishing leftovers out of the fridge, the blonde took a seat at the table. Zoro was leaning back in his chair, elbows behind his head as he used willpower to keep himself awake. An awkward silence had fallen over the room as the mutt finished off the last bit of juice at the bottom of his glass. There were many questions just waiting to be asked, but those had to wait until after the group was all gathered.

Luffy fidgeted in his seat. He was overwhelmed with gratitude, really. These complete strangers had dragged him out of the cold, treated his wounds, gave him a roof to sleep under and now, they had even given him a meal. This kind of hospitality was entirely new to him. In a dog-eat-dog world, he was used to simply taking in order to live. That was the only way to survive in the fighting ring. If you were soft, you ended up six feet under in a cozy little coffin. The only person he had ever really shared with was his brother, Ace. They had been together since they were just wee little kids. He didn't know what he could offer these people in return for what they had given him. As to be expected, he was dirt poor. His only possession was the ripped black jeans he had been wearing upon his escape. He didn't even have any abilities that could be of use. He was born and raised to fight. Beyond that, his skills were few. So he figured, the least he could do for now was offer an introduction.

"I'm Luffy," he stated, his voice finally breaking the silence of the kitchen. "Monkey D. Luffy."

His large brown eyes were unblinking as he gazed between the blonde in front of him and the green-haired man sitting to his left, waiting for their own introductions. The blonde was first.

"The name's Sanji," he said, extending a hand to shake.

Luffy cocked his head at it in confusion. What was he supposed to do with it? He had never received such a gesture before. To his left, he heard a slight snicker and Zoro sat up straight in his chair, stretching his arms out behind him momentarily.

"Put that away, eyebrow. I doubt he know what to do," Zoro said gruffly before turning his attention back to Luffy. "Roronoa Zoro."

Before any further words could be exchanged, the rest of the group meandered in.

"So you're the guy that Zoro brought in?" Nami asked tiredly as she sat down to Luffy's right, observing him from head to toe. He leaned back a bit, trying to avoid her penetrating eyes. "I want to ask you questions, but I guess that can wait until after introductions. I'm Nami. It's nice to meet you…?"

"Luffy," Zoro answered, before the aforementioned mutt could even part his lips to speak. "We already got introductions down, so it's just you guys left."

"Uhm… I'm Usopp," the long-nosed man muttered groggily, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He appeared vaguely nervous to be in the same room as the now-conscious mutt. Seeing firsthand what he was capable didn't do much to calm his worries. He was the 'coward' of the group. He could most certainly be brave when the need arose, but the rest of the time, he was all talk and no action. Usopp took a chair next to Sanji. The next in line to introduce themselves was Chopper. He sat directly across from Luffy and smiled brightly.

"And I'm Chopper! Are you feeling better? Do your wounds still hurt?" the tiny reindeer inquired, leaning forward slightly to get a closer look at him. He hadn't really come in contact with many other mutts. They weren't as common in East Blue as they were in other areas. To him, having someone else like him was somewhat of a gift.

Robin introduced herself next with a sweet, polite smile. Following was Franky, and, finally Brook. By the time everyone had gotten themselves acquainted, the mood had lightened significantly. Sanji had started to make tea to help disintegrate the tiredness of the group. He set out a hot, steaming cup in front of everyone (aside from Zoro, who promptly turned it down and stuck to a mug of black coffee instead.)

"So…" Nami began, resting her cheek in her palm as she glanced at Luffy. "Assuming you're feeling better, can we ask you some questions? It wouldn't be good to have a complete stranger staying with us."

Luffy took a slow sip at his tea and set it down, fumbling around in his thoughts. It was only reasonable that they would want to know about him, but could he trust them with the truth? He squirmed slightly. He had to get back to Ace. Thinking that he could dance around any undesirable questions, he nodded slowly. Nami clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Good!" she chimed, obviously content with his willingness, "Firstly… where are you from? There aren't many mutts like you in this area… and there are definitely not a lot of half-dead ones running around. So what's your story?"

The raven-haired man gulped down another swig of hot tea. That was one of the questions he had wanted to avoid. "Well… I don't really know where I am right now, but I'm pretty sure I came from Grand Line city."

"Eh? That's pretty far away, Luffy-bro," Franky pointed out in slight surprise, "That's about a few hours from here on foot. How'd you get here?"

Soft black ears flicked back against his head in an obvious display of discomfort. He seemed to be running himself into a wall. He inhaled and said bluntly, "I… ran."

The expressions of the group simultaneously evolved into incredulous looks. Nami chewed on her lip as she continued to observe him. It was obvious that he was growing continuously more uneasy. Suspicion was bubbling in her gut. Things were already weird enough without his horribly simplistic answers. "You… ran?"

Luffy nodded, sipping at his tea distractedly. "… yep! I ran. I was with someone at first, my big brother, but we got separated. When I saw Zoro in the alley, I thought that he was a bad guy, so I… kind of attacked him. And… now I'm here."

This answer hardly seemed to satisfy them, Luffy noted. He was looking down at his rippling reflection in the teacup with slight guilt still shining in his eyes. He hated living like this. Wherever he went, a huge shadow seemed to follow close behind. The line between friend and enemy had been smudged to the point where it became increasingly harder to tell who was there for him and who was there to harm him. He remembered being a young kid, running alongside Ace and his lost brother, Sabo. The three would sit in the grassy fields, staring up at the clouds and share their dreams of living a free life devoid of regrets. It had been years since they had spoken of them together.

The barrage of questions was beginning to affect him physically as well. He could feel a throb of pain radiate throughout his abdomen. The narcotics were beginning to wear off and he was growing weary once more. Chopper's lips formed into a tiny 'o' as he took note of Luffy's worsening condition. He leaned forward and tugged on the fellow mutt's hand.

"You should go lay back down!" he instructed in a more serious voice than his previous introduction. "I'll give you more pain medicine."

Nami frowned slightly. That was all she was getting out of him for the night. She shrugged and stretched her arms out behind her with a yawn. "Well, I guess that's good enough. I don't know where you were running from or why, but for now, you can sleep. The rest of us are tired too. If we need to, we can talk more tomorrow."

Luffyís lips curled upwards into a relieved smile as he pushed up from his chair. Chopper had walked up beside him and was tugging at his pant leg to grab his attention. The rest of the group began to rise from their seats and separate. As the two mutts reached the threshold, Luffy paused momentarily, grabbing the frame to steady himself.

"I… want to say thank you for letting me stay! You guys really are good people," he exclaimed with his last bit of energy. His eyes flickered over Zoro, as if to emphasize the last part. He was grateful to these people for offering him shelter. But Zoro… Luffy felt especially indebted to Zoro. If it hadn't been for him, he would be spending his last breaths in some unfamiliar alley and he would have never gotten his true taste of freedom.

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The sun was had yet to rise, but the moon was beginning to disappear below the horizon's belt. Dusky light barely illuminated the quiet house. After the events of the previous night, the group was still locked into a deep slumber. All except for Zoro. He tended to be the one who woke up last, but today, he couldn't seem to sleep. His eyes were focused up at the ceiling, tracing all the little divots and imperfections in the white plaster. He had been frozen in this position for the past five minutes, and he was growing tired of it. His sheets were pushed aside quickly as he swung his legs over the bed to step onto the hardwood floor. Staring up at the ceiling wasn't going to make him fall asleep any faster.

He fished a pair of ripped jeans and a black v-neck out of his closet, and dressed himself quickly before heading off into the living room. There wasn't much to do in the morning. Sanji usually woke up first to make breakfast, and from there, they would plan on what to do. During the weeks, they had their jobs to tend to. Zoro only taught his kendo class a few days a week, so he usually had free time on his hands to do whatever. His free time was mostly spent on training, power naps or errand running. Zoro plopped down on the couch and grabbed for the remote, flipping it on to the first channel he could find.

It was the news channel. A commercial about some cheap brand of dog food was airing. His finger poised itself above the 'up' button and was about to push down when the commercial ended and some choice words caught his attention. He dropped the remote on his lap and watched as the camera cut to a reporter standing in front of a large stadium-type building. There were a few men murmuring behind her as she reported to the cameraman, holding the microphone close to her lips.

"_Grand Line authorities are still on the hunt for the two escapees from Baroque Works fighting ring. The two, both dog-type mutts, and assumedly brothers, caused an uproar at the ring's stadium three days ago. Originally, they were planned to be opponents, however, the two quickly turned on the staff and caused an all-out panic. No civilians were injured, however security officials reported to minor injuries and a few were hospitalized due to deep scratches and broken bones. The brothers are reported to have separated. All citizens of East and West Blue are to be on the lookout for these two fugitives. A reward is being offered for any information concerning the runaways. The older of the two is described to be tall and muscular with medium-length black hair and freckles. The youngest is described to be somewhat short and lean with messy black hair and a scar beneath his right eye. If any of these features sound familiar, please call 404-234ó"_

Zoro pressed the power button and the TV flickered off in an instant. With just that one report, everything became crystal clear. It couldn't have been coincidence. The facts lined up too well. Luffy had said the night before that he had run from Grand Line City. Hell, he had even mentioned being separated from his brother. And the description was just the icing on the cake. Zoro pushed up to his feet and crept down the hallway, gently opening the door to the guest room. He was careful not to make any creaking noises. He wanted to settle things out with Luffy once and for all.

As the door slowly and noiselessly swung open, he saw the outline of the mutt etched beneath the blue quilt. The blankets rose and fell slightly with each breath. Upon closer inspection, Luffy's face was scrunched up unpleasantly, as if he was stuck in some awful nightmare. Zoro placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him firmly. In an instant, the mutt shot up in bed and looked around frenziedly before his wild eyes settled on Zoro and he regained composure.

"…What is it?" he yawned wearily with a hint of confusion tinting his voice, scooting backwards to sit up rest his back against the bed frame. Zoro settled down in the chair at the foot of the bed and returned Luffy's gaze with a serious expression. The severity of his expression did quick work to make Luffy uneasy. The man's ears flicked back nervously.

"You ran away from a fighting ring…" Zoro stated bluntly, "That's why you're here, isn't it?"

Luffy's heart pounded against his chest painfully as his brown eyes widened to the size of saucers. A lump began to gather in his throat as his limbs started to shake with apprehension. This was exactly what he had feared. "You didn't call the police, did you? I didn't do anything. I swear! Just please let me get away. I know you saved me but please-"

"No, I didn't call anyone," the green-haired man interrupted quickly, putting an end to the ramblings of the mutt. It was almost comical how those four words completely changed Luffy's demeanor. The mutt heaved the largest sigh he could manage and slumped down into the bed.

"…Thank you," he murmured. He lifted his head up slightly and grinned a bit. "You saved me twice."

"Yeah, well… I don't exactly believe in keeping other people as property," Zoro explained, causing the grin on Luffy's face to widen if only slightly. "So you were running away from the police, right?"

Luffy nodded. "I think… I think I shook them off though. I'm pretty sure. Are you going to tell the others?"

The sound of clashing pots and pans from the kitchen caused both of them to turn their heads.

"I can't be sure if they won't find out, but for now, I suppose I can act like I don't know anything. It's not really any of my business, anyways," Zoro concluded with a slight smirk.

"Thank you!" Luffy exclaimed, his tail thumped happily beside him. "I don't know why you've been so willing to help me but… I'll definitely pay you back. Somehow."

"I don't plan on staying here long," he continued, "I promised my brother that I would meet him back in Grand Line! So I have to go back."

"Well, alright. It's not any of my business. But Chopper will probably hunt you down if you leave while you're not healed so you should at least spend a couple more days. They won't find you here for the time being."

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Guhh. Not particularly overjoyed by this chapter, but it's something, right? Again, thank you all for the reviews! I'm so glad that this re-write is better! :'D It really helps. I've been a bit discouraged with my writing lately, in all honesty. Anyways, until next time. I don't know if I'll keep up this chapter a day thing, but I'll definitely update more often.


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